Device and method for metadata management

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device and method for managing metadata. A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device and method for managing metadata by which only key metadata can be selected and provided in accordance with their priorities upon playback of audio content by defining attributes of key metadata according to characteristics of the audio content. To achieve this object of the present invention, there is provided a method of managing metadata, comprising the steps of assigning priorities to attributes of key metadata according to characteristics of audio contents, reading the metadata for a specific audio content, extracting the attributes of respective metadata from the read metadata, classifying the extracted metadata attributes according to the assigned priorities and setting their priorities, and displaying the metadata for the audio content according to the set priorities. According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that major information on respective audio content can be efficiently provided to a user based on the metadata that are classified and selected according to the respective audio content.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device and method for managingmetadata. More particularly, the present invention relates to a deviceand method for managing metadata wherein the priority for attributes ofkey metadata is defined depending on the characteristics of audiocontent and the metadata are selected based on the predefined priorityupon the playback of the audio content recorded on a disc, so that onlythe key metadata can be provided to a user depending on thecharacteristics of the respective audio content.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, as interest in multimedia content has increased, CompactDisc (CD) and DVD (Digital Video Disc), which is the same size as a CDbut with a storage capacity four times larger, have been widelydeveloped as a storage medium for recording multimedia content thereon.

A CD/DVD (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘disc’) adopts and employs avariety of file systems so that a large quantity of data can be moreefficiently and systematically utilized. Recently, file systems such asIS09660, Joliet and UDF (Universal Disc Format) have been widelyemployed.

Among them, the UDF is a file system standard for optical media that hasbeen developed by OSTA (Optical Storage Technology Association).

The OSTA specifies a method of arranging and describing content in adisc, by which multimedia content data created in personal computers(PCs) and recorded on a disc can be easily extracted from andmanipulated in electric home appliances such as CD players and DVDplayers (hereinafter, referred to as ‘playback devices’).

According to these file systems, specific multimedia contents (e.g.,audio, photo and video) and additional information used to efficientlyprovide a user with the specific multimedia contents are recorded on thedisc.

The additional information contains application data that are composedof predetermined program sources (for example, XML data) for playingback the multimedia content recorded on the disc in accordance with theintention of the author, and metadata for the multimedia content.

This information recorded on the disc will be read by means of aplayback device and played back using a predetermined applicationprogram.

That is, the predetermined application program will output audio orvideo data read from the disc in a play mode corresponding to therelevant data format, together with specified meta information.

By way of example, audio content contains information on an albumrecorded on a disc and such information as an album title, music titlesand running times is output together when an audio file is played.

A user will obtain additional information on multimedia content such asaudio or video file being played from such metadata. At this time, theprovided additional information is not extracted based upon thecharacteristics of the respective multimedia content but according to apreviously determined manner.

In other words, only predefined information such as album title andsinger is provided from the audio content, even though its importantinformation may vary according to the genre of the respective album.

Therefore, there is a need for a method of providing additionalinformation by which information suitable to the multimedia contentbeing played back can be provided more properly to a user.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device andmethod for managing metadata by which only key metadata can be selectedand provided in accordance with their priorities upon playback of audiocontent by defining attributes of key metadata according tocharacteristics of the audio content.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device andmethod for managing metadata by which the metadata for audio content canbe utilized more efficiently by selecting and providing the respectiveaudio content according to their priorities.

The present invention is configured in such a manner that, by definingpriorities for attributes of key metadata according to characteristicsof audio content, priorities of the metadata read together with theaudio content upon playback thereof are set according the predefinedattributes of the metadata and the metadata are then displayed accordingto the set priorities.

The attributes of the key metadata are arbitrarily selected to determinethe priorities of the metadata for the audio content. If the prioritiesof the metadata are defined based on the attributes of the key metadata,a predetermined matching table is created which contains a metadata listclassified by these priorities.

The attributes of the metadata can be defined, for example, according togenre and singer name for audio content.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided adevice for managing metadata, wherein priorities are assigned toattributes of key metadata according to characteristics of audiocontent, the metadata for a specific audio content are read to extractthe attributes thereof, and the priorities for the read metadata arethen set according the assigned priorities.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of managing metadata, comprising the steps of assigningpriorities to attributes of key metadata according to characteristics ofaudio contents, reading the metadata for a specific audio content,extracting the attributes of respective metadata from the read metadata,classifying the extracted metadata attributes according to the assignedpriorities and setting their priorities, and displaying the metadata forthe audio content according to the set priorities.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of managing metadata, comprising the steps ofselecting meta data to be displayed depending upon an audio content,reading the selected meta data, and displaying the read meta data.

Hereinafter, when explaining the device and method for managing metadataaccording to the present invention, it has been explained that theattributes of the key metadata are classified and managed based on thegenre of the audio content. However, it is also illustrative and it canbe understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications andother equivalents thereof can be made to the method of classifying andproviding metadata for each audio content based on other metadata foraudio content.

Therefore, the true scope of the present invention should be defined bythe technical spirit of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description of apreferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of adevice for managing metadata according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for managingmetadata according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 schematically show metadata screens displayed accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 diagram shows the configuration of a device for managing metadataaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a metadata management device comprises a controlunit 110, a disc drive unit 120, a decoder 130, an input unit 140, ametadata determination unit 150, and a display unit 160.

The control unit 110 controls the overall operation of the device. Thecontrol unit reads out additional information stored in a disc throughthe disc drive unit 120 and provides a user with the read additionalinformation. Further, when a specific audio content is selected, thecontrol unit 110 allows relevant audio content data (hereinafter,referred to as ‘audio data’) to be read and output through the discdrive unit 120.

In addition, when the audio data are output, the control unit 110 allowsspecific metadata determined by the metadata determination unit 150 tobe output together with the audio data.

Under the control of the control unit 110, the disc drive unit 120 picksup and outputs the audio data and additional information, which arerecorded on a loaded disc, through the focusing and tracking operations.

That is, when a disc is loaded, the disc drive unit 110 reads theadditional information recorded in a predetermined area and transfersthe read additional information to the control unit 110, and then readsthe audio data from a specified area and transfers the read audio datato the decoder 130 in response to control commands of the control unit110.

The decoder 130 decodes and outputs audio data. More specifically, ifcompressed audio data are received from the disc drive unit 120, thedecoder 130 decodes the audio data and outputs the decoded data asoriginal audio signals.

The input unit 140 outputs a specific selection signal according tobuttons selected by a user. More specifically, if the user selects aspecific button, the input unit 140 generates its correspondingselection signal and transmits the signal to the control unit 110.

For example, if a user selects a button such as ‘play’, ‘skip’, ‘pause’,‘stop’ or ‘sound control’ button, the input unit 140 generates aselection signal corresponding to the selected button and transmits thegenerated signal to the control unit 110 so that the control unit 110can control the operation of a predetermined application for playback ofmultimedia content recorded on a storage medium in accordance with tothe selection signal being input.

Under the control of the control unit 110, the metadata determinationunit 150 detects the metadata for specific audio data from theadditional information, selects the detected metadata through a matchingtable according to a predetermined priority, and then outputs theselected metadata to the control unit 110.

By way of example, if an appropriate priority is set for each audiocontent based on the genre thereof and the metadata are then providedaccording to the priority, the following matching table, i.e. Table 1,is established according to genre. TABLE 1 List of metadata Genre 1 2 34 Folk Singer Album title Composer Songwriter Pop Singer Album titleComposer Songwriter Classic Composer Player Conductor Album title JazzPlayer Album title Arranger Composer

Through the matching table as configured above, the metadatadetermination unit 150 selects only the metadata with higher priorityamong the metadata for the audio data selected by the user.

In other words, when the user makes a play list by selecting specificaudio data according to his/her preference and then plays back the audiodata in the play list, the appropriate metadata can be selected andprovided in accordance with the audio data being played.

The display unit 160 displays the control process made by the controlunit 110 and the results thereof so that the user can view them. Morespecifically, the display unit 160 displays predetermined applicationprograms for use in the playback of audio data recorded on the loadeddisc and also displays the additional information received from thecontrol unit 110 by using the application program.

The additional information includes selection menus by category foraudio data recorded on the disc, play lists, and predetermined metadataselected by the metadata determination unit 150.

Hereinafter, a method of managing metadata using the metadata managementdevice so configured according to the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a process of managing metadataaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, if a specific audio content is selected from a playlist made by a user, the control unit 110 reads audio data correspondingto the selected audio content through the disc drive unit 120 andcontrols the operations for configuring the metadata corresponding tothe audio content.

First, the metadata determination unit 150 reads genre datacorresponding to the selected audio content (S1) and reads a metadatalist corresponding to the genre from the matching table (S2).

Then, the metadata determination unit 150 classifies the metadata forthe selected audio contents based on the read metadata list and readsthe first data in the metadata list with highest priority (S3).

Next, the read first data are selected as the first metadata to bedisplayed (S4), and it is then determined whether the first metadata tobe displayed is valid (S5).

If it is determined that the first metadata are not valid, it is furtherdetermined whether there are any additional data in the metadata list(S6).

If it is determined that additional data exist, the next data in themetadata list are read and the process is then return to a routine inwhich the read data are selected as the first metadata to be displayed(S7). If it is determined that additional data do not exist, the processterminates.

If it is determined that the selected first metadata to be displayed arevalid, it is further determined whether there are any additional data inthe metadata list (S8).

If it is determined that additional data exist, the next data in themetadata list are read (S9) and selected as the second metadata to bedisplayed (S10).

Then, it is further determined whether the selected second metadata arevalid (S11).

If it is determined that the selected second metadata to be displayedare not valid, it is also determined whether there are any additionaldata in the metadata list (S12). If it is determined that additionaldata exist, the next data in the metadata list are read and the processreturns to a routine in which the read data is selected as the secondmetadata to be displayed (S13).

If it is determined that the selected metadata to be displayed are validor additional data do not exist in the metadata list, the read metadataare displayed through the display unit 160 (S14).

Now, the method of managing the metadata according to the presentinvention will be more specifically described with reference to theaccompany drawings, by way of example.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 schematically show metadata screens displayed accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

A user selects specific audio contents to make a play list according tohis/her preference, and selects an audio content, which he/she wishes toplay back, from entries in the play list.

As shown in FIG. 3, if the user selects ‘Bohemian rhapsody’ 210 fromPlaylist 01, the control unit 110 reads relevant audio data through thedisc drive unit 120 according to the user's selection and transmitsinformation on the selected audio content to the metadata determinationunit 150.

Accordingly, the metadata determination unit 150 classifies metadatauseful for the selected audio content and then selects the metadata tobe displayed.

If the matching table such as Table 1 is used in classifying themetadata, a metadata list (1: singer, 2: album, 3: composer, 4:songwriter) corresponding to a ‘pop’ genre for the selected audiocontent is read.

Then, the metadata for the selected audio content (genre: pop, singer:Queen, album title: Queen2, composer: Queen (Freddie Mercury),songwriter: Queen) are classified according to the read metadata list,and the metadata are then read and selected as the display metadataaccording to their priorities.

If only two metadata should be displayed, the singer and album title,i.e. ‘signer: Queen, album title: Queen2’ are selected as the displaymetadata according to the priority for the relevant genre (e.g., ‘pop’)and then displayed on an addition information region 230 of the displayunit 160.

Further, if both ‘Wooyeon’ and ‘Survival Game’ in Playlist 01 areselected, respective singers and album titles are selected as thedisplay metadata because each of the selected audio contents has a‘folk’ genre. Then, the display metadata are displayed when playing backthe relevant audio data (it is not shown in this figure).

As shown in FIG. 4, if ‘All The Things You Are’ 310 in Playlist 01 isselected, the metadata list for the ‘Jazz’ genre of the selected audiocontent is read from the matching table.

The metadata for the selected audio content (genre: Jazz, player: KimKwang-Min, album: Vol. 4—Sentimental Spirit) are classified based on theread metadata list, and the first and second data in the metadata listare read and selected as the display metadata.

Accordingly, the selected display metadata, i.e. ‘player: Kim Kwang-Min,album: Vol. 4—Sentimental Spirit’, are displayed on an additionalinformation region 330 in the display unit 160.

As shown in FIG. 5, if ‘Flute Concerto, E Minor’ 410 in Playlist 01 isselected, the display metadata (i.e., ‘composer: Benda, player: PatricGallois’) are selected using both a metadata list for the relevant genreand metadata for the selected audio content.

Then, the selected display metadata are displayed on an additionalinformation region 430 in the display unit 160.

Through the aforementioned process, the user can receive the metadataappropriately selected according to the respective audio content beingplayed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that majorinformation on respective audio content can be efficiently provided to auser based on the metadata that are classified and selected according tothe respective audio content.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the presentinvention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A device for managing metadata, wherein priorities are assigned toattributes of key metadata according to characteristics of audiocontent, the metadata for a specific audio content are read to extractthe attributes thereof, and the priorities for the read metadata arethen set according the assigned priorities.
 2. The device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the read metadata are displayed according to the setpriorities for the metadata.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the device further comprises: a disc drive unit that picks upand outputs the audio contents and metadata recorded on a disc; acontrol unit that controls the operations of playing back the audiocontent read by the disc drive unit according to the selection of a userand providing the user with the metadata for the audio content beingplayed; a metadata determination unit that receives the metadata for theselected audio content from the control unit to extract the attributesof the metadata and determines the priorities for the metadata accordingto the assigned priorities; and a display unit that displays apredetermined application program for playing back the audio contentunder control of the control unit and also displays predeterminedmetadata determined by the metadata determination unit through theapplication program.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 3, furthercomprising: a decoder that decodes the audio content read by the discdrive unit and outputs the decoded audio content in the form of anoriginal audio signal; and an input unit that generates a predeterminedselection signal according to the user's selection and outputs thegenerated signal to the control unit.
 5. The device as claimed in claim1, wherein when the priorities for the metadata are defined according tothe attributes of metadata, a predetermined matching table is createdwhich contains metadata lists corresponding to the respectiveattributes.
 6. A method of managing metadata, comprising the steps of:assigning priorities to attributes of key metadata according tocharacteristics of audio contents; reading the metadata for a specificaudio content; extracting the attributes of respective metadata from theread metadata; classifying the extracted metadata attributes accordingto the assigned priorities and setting their priorities; and displayingthe metadata for the audio content according to the set priorities. 7.The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the assigned attributes of themetadata correspond to attributes of the genre of the audio content. 8.The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of defining thepriorities for the metadata according to the attributes of the metadatacomprises the step of creating a predetermined matching table thatcontains metadata lists corresponding to the respective attributes, andthe step of setting the priorities for the read metadata comprises thestep of using the created matching table.
 9. The method as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the step of displaying the metadata for the audiocontent comprises the step of displaying a part of the metadataaccording to the set priorities.
 10. A method of managing metadata,comprising the steps of: selecting meta data to be displayed dependingupon an audio content; reading the selected meta data; and displayingthe read meta data.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein themeta data are displayed when the relevant audio content is selected. 12.The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of reading the metadata comprises the steps of: reading meta data of the audio content; andclassifying meta data to be displayed according to the attributes of theread out meta data.